Goldeyes lose despite Bourassa's near perfect game
The Winnipeg Goldeyes lost 1-0 to the Gary SouthShore RailCats on Tuesday night, despite right-hander Landen Bourassa (Lethbridge, Alta.) carrying a perfect game into the seventh inning. Photo: Winnipeg Goldeyes (file photo)
June 18, 2024
By Jason Young
Winnipeg Goldeyes
WINNIPEG, Man. – The Gary SouthShore RailCats won a pitchers’ duel Tuesday evening, defeating the Winnipeg Goldeyes 1-0 at Blue Cross Park.
Landen Bourassa started for the Goldeyes and took a perfect game into the seventh inning when right fielder Chad Smith led off with a double to right field. Smith fouled off five straight pitches before winning what was an 11-pitch battle with Bourassa. Three batters later, centre fielder Francisco Del Valle singled up the middle to bring in Smith with the game’s only run.
Bourassa worked eight innings and surrendered just the two hits while striking out four. Tuesday’s loss marked the third time this season the Lethbridge, Alta., native has been on the short end of a 1-0 score.
RailCats’ starter Peyton Long pitched seven innings and allowed three hits. He struck out three batters. Nate Alexander retired the Goldeyes in order in the bottom of the ninth.
“I don’t know if Landen could have pitched any better,” said Winnipeg manager Logan Watkins. “The two hits he gave up just happened to be in the same inning and they found a way to get a run across. It’s really unfortunate because he has two complete games and an eight-inning performance in his last three starts and he’s lost two of those.”
Earlier in the day, the Goldeyes announced that right-handed reliever Justin Courtney’s contract had been transferred to the Diablos Rojos del México of the Mexican Baseball League. Courtney appeared in 14 games for Winnipeg and had 1-0 win-loss record with five saves and a 2.03 earned run average. He struck out 30 batters in 17 2/3 innings.
The series continues Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. C.T. with Colton Eastman (2-5, 5.44 ERA) starting for Winnipeg. Gary SouthShore will send fellow righty Tai Tiedemann (1-4, 5.75 ERA) to the mound.